Lcd Monitor Problem

[sonicdragon]

Switched on my LD monitor today - which I use as an external monitor for my laptop, and this is what is looks like - see attachments. The third one is what it looks like without the laptop connected.

Anyone have any idea what might be wrong and whether it's worth taking it to Pantip (or elsewhere) to be fixed ? Or should I just get a new one ? And in that case, any recommendations for 21/22 inch ?

It's only the 4th month that I've used it. Unfortunatelty the first month was in 2007, the 2nd in 2008 and the 3rd in 2009.

Thanks.

SD

[Crossy]

It certainly looks unhappy.

If you're not far from a repair place I can do no harm to have them take a look, it could just be damp as it's not been used for a while and a strip and clean could rectify.

They can throw it away if beyond repair. This means that you'll then be able to carry home the new one you've bought to replace it

[richardt1808]

given the low pricing of monitors of all sizes these days, it would probably be cheaper to just buy a new one.<BR><BR>I love a big screen for design work and always get the largest one I can afford, but your needs may be different - at any rate 19" to 22" the prices would be in the same range. <BR><BR>Cheers

[Pib]

Looks like the vertical driver circuitry has failed. If I remember right, ViewSonic is considered on the lower end of the reliability/quality scale. You are always taking a chance when you take a low cost/relatively low cost electronic item in for repair. That is, will it cost say half or more the amount of a new item, how long will it take ot be repaired, is the item just old and may fail again soon, etc. Unless you were a person who likes to tinker with and repair electronics, I would just go buy a new one. When it comes to models, just look for the sharpness/clearest display (you may need to tinker with the display controls to confirm they haven't been tinkered with by another potential buyer), external construction, specs, and price. Always a good idea to look at several displays which are pretty much side by side. From your visual reveiw, you probably should write down the model/part numbers, check/comparre the full specs on the internet, and then go back and buy the model you decided on. I bought a Samsung about two years ago and been very happy with it.

[sonicdragon]

Thanks to all

I'm probably do as Crossy suggested and take it to Pantip, let a repair shop take a look and if it seems like it will cost more than a couple of thousand baht then probably ditch it and buy a new one.

I have quite mixed feelings about "paying for quality". I have an identital unit in HK that I bought at the same time and have used more or less all the time since. The only difference is that this one has been left untouched for 10 months at a time three times. It's been working perfectly. I also have a Samsung which was priced around the same as the Viewsonic, and that's also been OK. On the other hand, I was once told that Eizo and NEC are among the best that money can buy and I've owned one of each. the Eizo failed just a month after buying it, so it was replaced under warranty. The replacement then failed again about 3 months later and was too costly to repair (was in a different country from where it was bought) . The NEC failed 3 times in as many years and was repaired each time (the last being about 6 months ago).

Does anyone know a good online resource for comparing features, pricings and getting reviews ? Unfrtunately I have very little time for research.

[Pib]

I have quite mixed feelings about "paying for quality". I have an identital unit in HK that I bought at the same time and have used more or less all the time since. The only difference is that this one has been left untouched for 10 months at a time three times. It's been working perfectly. I also have a Samsung which was priced around the same as the Viewsonic, and that's also been OK. On the other hand, I was once told that Eizo and NEC are among the best that money can buy and I've owned one of each. the Eizo failed just a month after buying it, so it was replaced under warranty. The replacement then failed again about 3 months later and was too costly to repair (was in a different country from where it was bought) . The NEC failed 3 times in as many years and was repaired each time (the last being about 6 months ago).

I had a NEC monitor once...it lived in a air conditioned house...the monitor lasted about 2 years before it started having horizontal problems.

I too have mixed feelings about paying for quality because most brand names go through their periods of good quality and not so good quality (and you may never know what period they are in until its too late), but it seems their brand name keeps certain people always buying them. A brand name should just be another factor not "the main factor" in making a buying decision.